Self-sorting hog-house door.



SELF SORTING HOG HOUSE DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAYH. x915 Patented Sept. 28, 1915.

a a A'PLANounn-u' CO.,WASH!NGTON, n. c.

, o o o o i} 16 f l H 1 L1 pin WILLIAM LEE 'G-ILLILAN, F 1POTOSI, WISCONSIN.

SELF-SORTING HOG-I-IOUSE DOOR.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 28, 1915.

Application filed May 17, 1915. Serial No. 28,701.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. GILLILAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Potosi, in the county of Grant and State of lVisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Self-Sorting Hog-House Doors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pens for live stock and especially to doors for such pens or inclosures, and the object of the invention is to provide means for automatically regulating the number of animals admitted to the pen, thereby preventing overcrowding and loss frequently caused by such conditions. 7

Another object is to provide a closure which will shut automatically when released, which may be set in open position and which may be released automatically by the entrance of the last of a predetermined number of animals.

A further object is to provide automatic releasing means for such doors which means may be set in advance to admit the desired number of animals and release the door upon the entrance of the last one of said number, said means being capable of being set for admitting difierent numbers of animals.

The invention .will be first hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which constitute a part of this specification, and then more specifically -'-f defined in the claims at the end of the description.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views :Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a gate or closure for pens constructed substantially in accordance with the present invention, Fig. 2is an inside elevation of the gate, Fig. 3 is a detailed plan view of the pivoted arcuate ratchet piece for automatically releasing the outer door, and Fig. 4 is a detailed plan View of the lever member secured to the inner flap door for actuating the pawl.

The wall of a pen or inclosure for hogs or other live-stock is indicated at 1, the same being provided with an outer sliding door 2 adapted to be supported in raised open position by a hook 4 secured to the wall 1 and engaging a screw-eye 3 on the upper edge of the door 2. When engaged with said screw-eye, the hook faces outward or away from the wall 1, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1.

Spaced from the outer door, the pen is provided with a second or inner door 30 of the flap type hinged at its upper edge, as at 40. Said flap door may have a notch 31 cut in its lower edge, as shown in Fig. 2, into which the hog may insert his nose for raising the door upon entering the pen. To the upper edge of the flap door, preferably at the middle thereof, a member or casting 5 is secured, the same having an inwardly projecting lever 6 arranged substantially horizontal when the door is closed and at right angles to said door. To the free end of the lever 6 the lower end of an arm 7 is pivoted, said arm extending upward in an inclined position and terminating in a pawl 8 engaging ratchet teeth 9 on the edge of the inner upwardly curved arm 10 of thepivoted member 11. This member 11 is pivoted'at 12 to a lug 13 fastened to the inner surface of the wall 1, and has another arm 14 extending outward through said wall and preferably curved upwardly to form a continuation of the arc of the arm 10.

The normal position of the ratchet member 11 is indicated in Fig. 1, the device in this instance being set to admit nine hogs or other animals into the pen. Each time a hog or other animal enters, he. is obliged to raise the flap door and each time said door is swung upward in opening, the lever 6 and arm 7 carrying the pawl 8 operate to swing the member 11 the space of one of the ratchet teeth 9. The member 11 is retained at each step by a pivoted loop 16 corresponding to the locking pawl of an ordinary ratchet device. By the time nine hogs or other animals have entered the pen and the flap door has thus been swung upward nine times, the pawl 8 will have engaged the last of the ratchet teeth, and on the last upward movement of the pawl 8 the member 11 will bring an offset finger 15 on the arm 14: of said member into engagement with the hook 4t and release it from the screw-eye 3, whereupon the outer door 2 will drop to closed position by gravity.

It will be understood, of course, that the number of teeth on the arm 10 of the ratchet member 11 may be varied and the position of the offset finger 15 changed with respect to the hook 4, or the proportions of the member 11 otherwise chan in Order opening of the inner'door for releasingtheany number less than the maximum permit ted by setting the member ll'with the retaining o 16 in, engagement with any one of the teeth 9 at the start; Eorginstance; if the device is initially set with the loop 16 in! engagement'withthe fifth}, tooth} counting from the top, the; pawl: 8- will be in; engagement with the seventh tooth, and only four animals will be able to enterthe pen, before the outen dooris. automatically released-by the finger 1. 5. detaohingthe hook; 4 from the screw eyeB; I 7

Having thus described; my invention what L'claimand desire to secure byLetters Batent is:

' 1-. The combination with an outerdoor and; means, tor; holding; it open, of an inner door, and means: operatedby. theopening of the. inner door; for automatically releasing the, outerdoorafter the inner; door has: been opened} a predetermined} number oi; timesi 2. The combination with an: outerdoor and means forholding it open, otan; inner door,; and; adjustable means; operated; by the outer door a-iterthe innerpdoor hasbeen opened; a; predetermined number oii times,

3.,The combination with; a sliding; door and: means for holding it open, ot. a flap I door, and; means operated by the opening of thefiap: door forreleasing thesli'ding door after the, flap door has beeni opened; a predetermined number 0t times.-

- 4'. The combination with-a vertically sliding; door, of meansifor supporting said door door when, said deviceis imoved to; a; pnedeidraisedi open position, anothendQQI 'y and means; operated; by. the opening; 0t the-latter door for releasing'the sliding door y when. the

second: door has beem opened a predetermined: number. of times.

5Q The combination with a vertically sliding door,'of meansforsupporting: said door in raised open position, a flap door, and

means. operated bythe: opening I 015- said; flap door; for, releasing; the: sliding door; when said; flap; door phas been opened: aapredetermineda numbenof'times:

6.,llhe combinationywith Seli -closing door and means: fonholding; it? open, of, a

flap door, a; ratchet device having; meansrfior automatically releasing the first mentioned termined' position, and a pawl operatively connected to said flap door and engaging said ratchet device for moving the latter a certain distance each time said flap dooris swungopen.

7, The combination with self-closing door and-means for holding it open, ofa flag-door, a ratchet device having a finger extending into the path of said holding means and adapted: to disengage said means from; the first; 'mentioned door when said ratchetdeyioe is moved a predetermined distanoe, m ta pawl carriedby the flap door acting uponsaidg ratchet devicefor movthe; latter acertain distance each time said fiap door isswung open.

8. The combination with a self-closing door, of a hook-:forholding it open,;"afiap door, ratchet device having a finger ex tending; into" the. path. of said hook and aapted todisengage it from the first mens n op nfile-The combination with a self-closing diOO f" and: means for holding it open, of a flap, door; a pivoted; ratchet device having ratchet teeth and an ofl'setxfinger, thelatter adapted. to; disengage the first mentioned 10911" from; the holding means when said ratchet. device is turned a predetermined distance, and, a pawl carried by the flap door: and acting upon the teeth of said natohet devicefor moving the latter a certain distance eachtime the flapdoor; is. swung open.

1 0; The combination with a, self-closing vdoorandmeans for holding, it open, of a flap door, arratlchet device having: meansrfor autoinatirrally disengaging saidholding means trom the first mentioned door when said devlce is moved a predeterm ned distame, a pa wl carriedby theflap door and acting upon the ratchetwdevice for moving the lattera, certain distanceeach. time said .fia-p 'do'QI3- is swung open, and a, looped, retainer engaging the teeth: of: the ratchet device; for holding; the; same afteroach. movementandzby; means ofiwh-i'ch. said, device may be setwindifi'erentipositionsfoi: varying the number ofiti'mes theflap door mustbe swung open, before; the; other door is: released.

- WILLIAM LEE GILLILAN,

Gofliesof; thie-retent'moy; he ohtainod fpn five, cents each, by addressing the Gon n issioner of lfatents,

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